Great TV Detectives: A Lifetime of Favorites

In the realms of great TV detectives, one must establish certain criteria to determine whether a TV personality even qualifies as a TV detective. First, to be considered a TV detective should we only count those who play actual police investigators or should we as well consider private investigators? And what of the laypersons - those who do not work in law enforcement but are constantly solving mysteries? For the sake of argument, we will forgo any mention of crime solving teams like Charlie's Angels or Starsky and Hutch. Using the broadest possible definition and incorporating cops, private investigators and laymen, here are my 10 favorite TV detectives.

1. Magnum, P.I. (Tom Selleck): Thomas Magnum saw his share of hardship, hanging in Hawaii with his old Vietnam buddies, living on a palatial estate and driving his boss's Ferrari 308. This is probably part of what made him such a believable character. And, for the record, I think Tom Selleck looked better in his "moustache" days. Employed by Robin Masters, and not as an investigator, Magnum counts as a layperson.

2. Columbo (Peter Falk): Columbo was a true gumshoe detective. Putting people at ease with his humble, almost fatherly demeanor and scruffy appearance, he generally found out everything he needed to know and had an amazing head for details. He also coined the phrase so famous with modern investigators - "oh, just one more thing...." He was generally underestimated by fellow police and bad guys. Highly recommended for his inimitable style (or lack thereof) and crime solving abilities. Columbo was a cop.

3. Monk (Tony Shalhoub): Even the early promotional material for this series referred to Monk as the Obsessive Compulsive Detective. Owing to his anal retentive tendencies (okay, affliction), Monk picks up the most insignificant details and always seems to get his man. Or woman. This character's depth and color merely adds personality to a show where the writers are obviously gifted. Monk is a private investigator.

4. Remington Steele (Pierce Brosnan): Remington Steele is, in and of himself, a sham. Not only was the name made up by the female lead (played by Stephanie Zimbalist), but even when out and about, he runs into people that call him by every other name in the book. Drawing from his seemingly bottomless stores of movie trivia, Steele also does well in solving the traditional "follow the clues" style mystery. Although a con man that took on the persona, Remington Steele is a private investigator.

5. The Eddie Capra Mysteries (Vincent Baggetta): This one I remember from my childhood in the late 1970's. A true murder mystery with clues and witnesses and that scene at the end that always feels like "I've brought you all together here to name the murderer..." Eddie Capra worked for a law firm in LA and had a knack for solving the most baffling cases. As an attorney, Eddie counts as a layperson.

6. Matlock (Andy Griffith): Another attorney with an endearing Southern charm, a fatherly disposition and a razor sharp mind. Matlock defended innocent clients by finding the real killer using all the clues that he could find - and find them he did. Matlock is also a layperson.

7. The Rockford Files (James Garner): Another one from my childhood, Jim Rockford was a true private investigator. With a snappy wit and a bad habit of getting beat up, Rockford generally found someone who would talk. He fought crime with the help of his father, retired cop "Rocky" Rockford. Jim was a private investigator.

8. Murder She Wrote (Angela Lansbury): The immortal Angela Lansbury, famous for her work in several Agatha Christie movies, plays the TV role of Jessica Thatcher, a novelist who writes (of all things!) murder mysteries. She travels constantly and finds dead people everywhere she goes. Using traditional sleuthing skills, she finds her bad guy every time. Jessica Thatcher is yet another layperson.

9. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr): Beginning as the written works of Earle Stanley Gardner, Perry Mason appeared in numerous novels and short stories. A defense attorney who always seemed to clear his client's name by finding the real culprit, Perry Mason went on to become a serialized radio program in the 1940's, then a TV series from 1955-1966, and again in the mid-70's. Raymond Burr took on the role of the crime solving lawyer in the mid-80's and starred in his share of over 25 made-for-TV movies. Perry Mason is another layperson.

10. Hawaii Five-O (Jack Lord): Running during the 1960's until the late 1970's, this crime drama revolved around the fictional Hawaii State Police and its star homicide detective Steve McGarrett. Most famous for his line, "Book 'em, Dano," McGarrett's exploits took him all over the Hawaiian Islands. This series was one of my earliest memories of great crime TV detectives. Steve McGarret was a cop.